Heat exchange units



Jan. 16, 1962 R. E. LEE ETAL HEAT EXCHANGE UNITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 41 FiledApril 1. 1960 awe-Mons RALPH E. LEE

- JACK F. ECKELAERT BY M M ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 R. E. LEE ETAL3,017,160

WWW Ii RAlip H E L EE AcK United States Patent poration of WisconsinFiled Apr. 1, 196b, Ser. No. 19,346 6 Claims. (Cl. 257-137) Thisinvention relates generally to force draft type of multi-zone heatexchange units and more particularly to multi-zone heat exchangers whichprovide ventilation air during moderate weather.

Prior to this invention, multi-zone heat exchangers had a seriousoverheating problem especially during moderate Weather. Since theseunits provide heating, cooling or ventilation air to a number ofindependent zones, it is not possible to shut off the hot supply becausesome zones may be requiring heat while other zones may be requiringcooling or ventilation. The result was that the air intended to besupplied to the zones requiring cooling or ventilation was Wiping pastthe heating coil before introduction into the zone requiring cooling orventilation. The end result of such wiping of the heating coil was thatthe temperature of the air going to the zone or zones requiring coolingand/or ventilating was too high causing overheating of the zone to whichsuch air was introduced.

It is an object of this invention to provide a multizone heat exchangerwhich eliminates wiping of the heating heat exchanger in order toeliminate overheating of the zones that do not require heating.

A second object of the invention is to provide a multizone heatexchanger which is compact, inexpensive to manufactreu, readilyassembled, and which eliminates wiping of the heating coil.

A third object of the invention is to provide a multizone heat exchangerwhich allows accurate control of the temperature in the zones to beconditioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blow thru mult-i-zoneheat exchanger which has the zone dampers located between the fan andthe heat exchanger in order to prevent coil wiping and to prevent airleakage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a blow thrumulti-zone heat exchange unit which has the zone dampers between the fanand the heat exchanger and which provides readily attachable anddetachable partition members between each zone and between the zonedampers for each zone in order to eliminate coil wiping and to insurepositive air flow to the zone intended.

A sixth object of the invention is to provide a compact multi-zone heatexchange unit which eliminates coil wiping and is readily attachable tothe duct work which delivers air to the zones to be conditioned.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparentas the specification proceeds to describe the invention with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of our new and improved multi-zone heatexchange unit;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the heat exchange coil section of FIG. 1with the heat exchange coil being shown in a dropped position;

FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of the heat exchange coil showing theclip attachment plates in operative position; and

FIG. 4 is a view showing the clip member used to attach the partitionsto the clip attachment plates.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is shown as a heating andventilating type of multi-zone heat exchange unit. It is within thescope of the invention to also provide a cooling heat exchanger if suchis desired.

Looking now at FIG. 1, our new and improved multizone heat exchange unitconsists basically of a combination filter mixing box 10, a fan section12, and a coil and damper section 14.

Coil and damper assembly 14 primarily encompasses a plenum chamber 16and a heat exchanger assembly 18 sub-divided by vertical partitionmembers 20, 22, and 24 into a plurality of zones 26. Horizontalpartition member 28 is provided to separate each zone 26 into aventilating passage and a heating passage. A heat exchanger member 30 isprovided to condition the air passing through each of the heatingpassages of the zones 26. The heat exchange member is shown locatedbelow the horizontal partition 28 but obviously could be located abovethe horizontal partition 28, if desired.

It should be noted that partitions 20, 22, and 24 extend into the plenumchamber 16 a substantial distance in order to provide separate anddistinct air paths for each zone 26. For purposes of assembly,dis'assembiy, and repair, partitions 20, 22, and 24 are secured inposition by a duct clip 32, shown in detail in FIG. 4. Duct clip 32 is aW shaped clip of spring steel, or other suit- .able material and haschannel passages 36, 38, and 40 therein adapted to engage and secure twoor more sheet metal portions together.

In the preferred form of our invention, clip plates 34 and 35 (FIG. 3)are provided between the heat exchange fins of heat exchanger 30 at boththe entering and leaving side of the heat exchanger. Normally clipplates 34 will be installed co-planar with clip plates 35 or could becontinuous through the heat exchanger.

On the leaving side of the heat exchanger 30, duct clips 32 are attachedto clip plates 35 so that clip plates 35 nest in channel passages 38.Channel passages 36 and 40 are then available for attachment to thesheet metal duct work for each zone to be conditioned. Also, channelpassages 38 of duct clips 32 engage and secure the leaving edge ofvertical partitions 22 and 24.

On the entering side of the heat exchanger 30, either channel passage 36or channel passage 40 engages clip plate 34 while partitions 20 and 22are secured in channel passage 38 to position the partitions.

Zone dampers consisting of a ventilation damper 42 and a heating damper44 secured to a rotatably supported damper rod 46 are placed in eachzone 26 to control the flow of air therethrough. Damper 42 is mountedout of phase with damper 44 in order to be able to provide allventilation air or all heated air, if desired. Damper sealing membersmay be provided, if desired. Obviously, intermediate positioning of thedamper rod 46 will provide a mixture of ventilating air and heated airdepending on the requirements of the zone to be condi tioned.Positioning of the zone dampers may be controlled in any suitable mannersuch as-using pneumatic damper motors on each zone damper with thedamper motor being responsive to the temperature in the conditioned air.If desired or necessary, two or more zone damper rods 46 may be linkedtogether to provide air conditioning for a single conditioned area.

In operation, air is drawn through fresh airv damper 48 or recirculatedair damper 50 or through both depending on the damper setting asdetermined by the damper control, not shown. This air is then drawnthrough filters 52 into fan inlet, not shown, of fans 54 and dischargedinto plenum chamber 16 through fanperature of the air delivered to thearea to be conditioned is dependent upon the position of dampers 42 and44 in each zone 26.

Assuming that some zones are calling for heat and other zones arecalling for ventilation only, it is obvious that our new and improvedmulti-zone heat exchanger has eliminated wiping of the heating heatexchanger 36 by the air supplying the zone or zones requiringventilation. Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the locationof dampers between the fan section 14 and the heat exchanger 39 providespositive cut-H of the heat exchanger 30 when only ventilation isrequired. Looking at one zone 26 when damper 42 is open and damper 44 isclosed, it is obvious that no air from plenum chamber 16 contacts heatexchanger 30 before passage through the ventilation passage. Partitionmembers 20 in conjunction with partitions 28 and 24 prevent air for onezone 26 which is on heating from passing. to one of the adjacent zoneswhich may be requiring ventilation only. For these reasons, ourinvention provides positive passage of air from plenum chamber 16 to thezones requiring such air and eliminates overheating of the zonesrequiring ventilation only by positive cut-off of the heating coil inthese zones requiring ventilation and by the elimination of passage ofair intended for one zone 26 to one'of the next adjacent zones 26.

Further, our new and improved multi-zone heat exchanger provides astructure which is readily assembled and accessible for repair. Itshould be noted that heat exchange 30 is connected to the duct work andthe multizone structure only by duct clips 32. Obviously, if necessary,heat exchange coil may be readily removed for repair, cleaning, orreplacement by merely disconnecting the duct clips 32 and removing theheat exchanger 30 through access panels normally provided for such use.Therefore, our new and improved structure has the obvious advantage ofproviding positive elimination of coil wiping and at the same timeprovides a structure which is readily assembled and accessible forrepair and cleaning.

Although we have described in detail the preferred embodiments of ourinvention, we contemplate that many changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope or spirit of our invention, and we desire to belimited only by the claims:

We claim:

1. In a single or multi-zone heat exchange unit having air moving meansand a heat exchanger assembly downstream of said air moving means, saidheat exchanger assembly comprising; a heat exchanger with one sidelonger than another, said. long side being located transverse to the airstream created by said air moving means, said heat exchanger having heatexchange fins therein substantially perpendicular to said long side, aplurality of clip plates located between said heat exchange fins on theupstream side of said heat exchanger, means forming a bypass for thepassage of air around said heat exchanger substantially co-extensivewith said long side of said heat exchanger, a partition member betweensaid heat exchanger and said bypass passage and extending towards saidair circulating'means, clip means attached to said clip plates on theupstream side of said heat exchanger, firstpartitionmeans secured tosaid clip means and forming a multiplicity of passages through said heatexchanger, second partition means in said bypass passage substantiallyco-planar with said first partition means and forming a multiplicity ofpassages through said bypass passage corresponding with said passagsethrough said heat exchanger, damper mean rotatably supported in each ofsaid bypass passages, damper means rotatably supported in each of saidpassages through said heat exchanger uptream ofsaid heat exchanger, andmeans interconnecting said bypass damper means out of phase with thecorresponding damper means insaid passage through said heat exchanger toclose said heat exchanger damper means when said bypass means is openwhereby the air passing through said bypass passages will not beoverheated due to contact with said heat exchanger before inflow to saidbypass passages.

2. The structure of claim 1 when clip plates are located between saidheat exchange fins on the downstream side of said heat exchangerco-planar with said clip plate on the upstream side of said heatexchanger, and clip means are attached to said clip plates on thedownstream side of said heat exchanger whereby sheet metal ducts may bereadily attached to said multi-zone heat exchange unit.

3. In a multi-zone heat exchange unit having air moving means and a heatexchanger assembly downstream of said air moving means, said heatexchanger assembly comprising; a heat exchanger with one side longerthan another, said long side being located transverse to the air streamcreated by said air moving means, said heat exchanger having heatexchange fins therein substantially perpendicular to said long side,means forming a bypass for the passage of air around said heat exchangersubstantially co-extensive with said long side of said heat exchanger,clip means attached to said heat exchanger on the upstream side thereof,first partition means secured to said clip means and forming amultiplicity of passages through said heat exchanger, second partitionmeans in said bypass passage substantially co-planar with said firstpartition means and forming a multiplicity of passages through saidbypass passage corresponding with said passages through said heatexchanger, damper means rotatably supported in each of said bypasspassages, damper means rotatably supported in each of said passagesthrough said heat exchanger upstream of said heat exchanger, and meansinterconnecting said bypass damper means out of phase with thecorresponding damper means in said passage through said heat exchangerto close said heat exchanger damper means when said bypass means is openwhereby the air passing through said bypass passages will not beoverheated due to contact with said heat exchanger before inflow to saidbypass passages.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein clip means are attached to said heatexchanger on the downstream side thereof whereby sheet metal ducts maybe readily attached to said multi-zone heat exchange unit.

5. In a multi-zone heat exchange unit having air m'oving means and aheat exchanger assembly downstream of said air moving means, said heatexchanger assembly comprising; a heat exchanger with one side longerthan another, said long side being located transverse to the" air streamcreated by said air moving means, said heat exchanger having heatexchange fins therein substantially perpendicular to said long side,means forming a bypass for the passage of air around said heat exchangersubstantially co-extensive with said long side of said heat exchanger, apartition member between said heat exchanger and said bypass passage andextending towards said air circulating means, clip means attached tosaid heat exchanger on the upstream side thereof, first partition meanssecured to said clip means and forming a multiplicity of passagesthrough said heat exchanger, second partition means in said bypasspassage substantially co-planar with said first partition means andforming a multiplicity of passages through said bypass passagecorresponding with said passages through said heat exchanger, dampermeans rotatably supported in each of said bypass passages, damper meansrotatably supported in each of said passages through said heat exchangerupstream-of saidheat exchanger, and means interconnecting said bypassdamper means out of phase" 'withthe corresponding damper means in saidpassage through said-heat exchanger to close said heat exchanger dampermeans when said bypass-means is open whereby the air passing throughsaid bypass passages will not be overheated due to contact with saidheat exchanger before inflow to said bypass passages.

6. In a multi-zone heat exchange unit having air moving means and a heatexchanger assembly downstream of said air moving means, said heatexchanger assembly comprising; a heat exchanger with one side longerthan another, said long side being located transverse to the air streamcreated by said air moving means, said heat exchanger having heatexchange fins therein substantially perpendicular to said long side, aplurality of clip plates located between said heat exchange fins on theupstream side of said heat exchanger, means forming a bypass for thepassage of air around said heat exchanger substantially co-extensivewith said long side of said heat exchanger, clip means attached to saidclip plates on the upstream side of said heat exchanger, first partitionmeans secured to said clip means and forming a multiplicity of passagesthrough said heat exchanger, second partition means in said bypasspassage substantially co-planar with said first partition means andforming a multiplicity of passages through said bypass passagecorresponding with said passages through said heat exchanger, dampermeans rotatably supported in each of said bypass passages, damper meansrotatably supported in each of said passages through said heat exchangerupstream of said heat exchanger, and means interconnecting said bypassdamper means out of phase with the corresponding damper means in saidpassage through said heat exchanger to close said heat exchanger dampermeans when said bypass means is open whereby the air passing throughsaid bypass passages will not be overheated due to contact with saidheat exchanger before inflow to said bypass passages.

References Cited in the file of this patent Bulletin H S-l, WingFeatherfin Heater Section, page 5, published by T. J. Wing Mfg. Co., 154W. 14th St., N.Y.C., copyright 1939.

